title: Vertebral augmentation with a flexible curved needle: preliminary results in 17 consecutive patients.
abstract: This report details a trial demonstrating the viability of a blunt-tipped curved needle for use as a cement injection device for vertebral body augmentation. Between January and September 2007, 17 consecutive patients (eight men and nine women; average age, 76 years; age range, 52-97 years) underwent vertebral body augmentation with a blunt-tipped curved nitinol injection needle via a single pedicle to treat pain due to acute vertebral body compression fractures. All patients were successfully treated without complication. The results of the trial demonstrate that a curved blunt-tipped nitinol needle is a viable alternative to a rigid injection cannula when performing vertebral body augmentation with cement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurointerventional Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, 111 E 210th St, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.
authors.forename: Allan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Brook
authors.forename: Todd S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Avital
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fast
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farinhas
authors.forename: Keivan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shifteh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000497:Alloys; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D001843:Bone Cements; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D001843:Bone Cements; C013616:nitinol